Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-09-10

In a letter from Chief Fridays camp
Gen. Brisbin writes; Here we saw
many curious scenes and learned much
of Indian life. One day Friday said to
me he would like TO show of his young
men and let me see how well they
| could ride. At first I expected some
treachery, as the whole herd of ponies
was still in the hands of the troops.
The OLD chief, however, was SO earnest
and apparently honest about il | told
tho captain who had tho herd in
charge, he might let Friday have fifty
ponies Tor his young men.
In about an hour they drew up be-
fore the tents in war paint and feath-
crs, and were as fine IA set of Young
fellows as | had ever seen. Hardly
one but was six feet in height and
beautifully proportional. They sat
their horses like %ceutaurs and were
ease and grace itself in the saddle.
At a signal from the chief they began
their movements with a yell that sent
tsic blood curdling to the heart and
was enough, if heard unawares or in
the night time, to make ones hair
stand OF end. In u moment they had
disappeared over Il n~eighboring hill to
the right, and ! thought they had gone,
but, hearing a mighty trampling OF
horses, ! looked to the left and there
they came. | can compare it to moth
ing but the wind, and they swept by so
swift and compact that they locked
like n ball of horses and men. Split
ting in two, one body swept to the
right and another to the left and again
disappeared.
In about two minutes the two bodief
charged each other in solid lines, and
! waited almost breathlessly for the
shock, but as the horses heads almost
touched each other the files skilfully
opened to the right and left and the
lines passed through the interval.
without touching. Wheeling to the
right about they passed back in an
instant and again disappeared over
the hills. 1t was about fifteen minutes
before they came in sight. and Friday
Informed me they were blowing their
horses. Presently on they came and
wheeled by fourS, formed columns
broke by fours, and finally dcployed
as Skirmlshers. 1t was now we saw
the finest individual Craftsmanship.
Some would approach lying SO close
to the pony's back nothing but the
horse could be seen. Others stood up
and rode as the circus men do, Some
would hang with one foot and n
hand on the horses and sweep by, their
bodies completely protected by the
bodies of the animals. Some leapcd
upon the ground holding to the names
of the horses, and after running Il step
,r t,,D NN,,,ll gv+in,r ,h,,,u,I,+,s -, 90,
the backs of the horses again rs easily
Us any circus man could do it.
The positions they assumed and the
fcatS OF horsemauship which they per-
formed is incredible, and | doubt if
anything outside Of Il circus ring ever
cqualed it. They would throw objects
on The ground and pick them up again
while passing ut fall speed, the way
riors hanging TO the sides of the horses
with one foot and one hand. They
drew bows and shot arrows from I'M
derneath the necks and even bellies OF
the horses while riding at a fast gallop.
Our cavalry could not learn to ride as
well as these Indians did if each man
was trained for twenty years. They
exchanged horses while riding, and
got behind each other. One mau
would fall off his horse as If wounded,
and two others would ride up beside
him, and, taking him by an arm and
lee, swing him between their horses
and carry him off.
The exhibition, or drill, as Friday
called it, lasted nearly two hours, and
the men and horses were completely
exhausted. l bad never seen such
magnificent feats of horsemanship in
my life, and freely said 50, At This
Friday was much pleased, and calling
up the young men repeated to them in
"a loud voice what | had said aud added
- few words of his own, compliment
inc them. The young men were very
proud OF the manner in which they had
acquitted themselves, and | could i'm
agine the feelings of their parents and
sweethearts. The performers were
much worn out, some Of them being
hardly able to stand after their violent
exercise, and all evening | saw them
lying in the lodges, where the Indian
women brought them food and water,
bathed their hands, arms and limbs.
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